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Salling ROOFTOP, Aarhus

Sky-high city views, glass-floored thrills and a lush roof garden meet café culture and cocktails atop Aarhus’ Salling department store.

4.6

Perched atop the Salling department store on Aarhus’ main shopping street, Salling ROOFTOP is a vast urban terrace combining a café, bar, skywalk and lush roof garden with sweeping 360-degree views. This free-to-enter city oasis features green pockets, art installations, sky swings and a glass-floored platform suspended high above Søndergade. By day it’s a relaxed lookout for coffee, smørrebrød and salads; by evening, cocktails, music and sunset light over the cathedral spires create one of Aarhus’ most atmospheric vantage points.

A brief summary to Salling ROOFTOP

  • Søndergade 27, Aarhus, Aarhus C, 8000, DK
  • +4587786000
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 0.5 to 3 hours
  • Mid ranged
  • Environment icon Mixed
  • Mobile reception: 5 out of 5
  • Monday 10 am-7 pm
  • Tuesday 10 am-7 pm
  • Wednesday 10 am-7 pm
  • Thursday 10 am-7 pm
  • Friday 10 am-7 pm
  • Saturday 10 am-6 pm
  • Sunday 10 am-6 pm

Local tips

  • Arrive mid-morning on a clear day for calmer crowds and crisp 360-degree views before the afternoon and early evening rush.
  • If you are uneasy with heights, start near the edge of the glass skywalk and step out gradually rather than going straight to the center.
  • In cooler months, bring a warm layer; blankets are available but the wind can feel significantly stronger at rooftop level.
  • Dogs are not allowed on Salling ROOFTOP, so plan pet care in advance if you are exploring Aarhus with a four-legged companion.
  • The terrace is free to access and you do not need to order from the café, making it an easy budget-friendly viewpoint stop.
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Getting There

  • Walking from Aarhus H central station

    From Aarhus H, allow around 10–15 minutes on foot to reach Salling ROOFTOP. The route runs entirely through flat, paved city streets and pedestrian zones, making it straightforward for most visitors and generally suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. As you approach, look for the Salling department store entrance on Søndergade; the rooftop is accessed from inside the store during its regular opening hours.

  • City bus within Aarhus

    Several city bus lines stop near Rådhuspladsen and Park Allé, a 5–10 minute level walk from Salling on Søndergade. Typical journey times from residential districts or Aarhus Ø are 10–25 minutes, with fares usually in the range of 20–30 DKK for a single adult ticket when using a travel card or mobile ticket. Buses run frequently during the day, but evening and Sunday services can be less frequent, so check departure times in advance.

  • Light rail (Letbanen) and short walk

    If you arrive by Aarhus Letbane, use Aarhus H or Skolebakken stations. Travel times from outer suburbs or the university hospital area are typically 10–30 minutes, with prices similar to city bus tickets, often around 20–35 DKK depending on zones and ticket type. From either station it is about 10 minutes of easy walking on paved streets to Salling, and lifts and escalators in the department store assist with the final vertical access to the rooftop.

  • Car or taxi within the city

    Driving into central Aarhus, expect 10–25 minutes from most neighbourhoods, depending on traffic. Several paid multi-storey car parks and underground garages lie within a 5–10 minute walk of Søndergade, with typical parking fees in the range of 15–30 DKK per hour. A taxi from inner districts often costs 80–200 DKK one way, varying with distance and traffic. The streets immediately around Salling are largely pedestrianised, so be prepared to walk the final stretch from your parking or drop-off point.

Salling ROOFTOP location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Clear Skies
  • Weather icon Hot Weather
  • Weather icon Cold Weather
  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures
  • Weather icon Any Weather
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Discover more about Salling ROOFTOP

A city panorama above the shopping streets

High above the bustle of Søndergade, Salling ROOFTOP turns the top of a classic department store into a 360-degree viewing platform over Aarhus. From the terraces you can pick out the cathedral’s slender spire, the rainbow ring crowning ARoS, and the cranes and ferries in the harbour. Glass balustrades keep the views wide open, so the city feels almost close enough to touch, yet you are removed from the traffic and shopfront noise below. The rooftop follows the store’s opening hours and is free to enter, so it works as an easy add-on to a day in Midtbyen. Urban landscaping, seating zones and a mix of open decks and more sheltered corners allow you to choose between breezy viewpoints and quieter nooks when the wind off the bay picks up.

Café culture in the open air

At the heart of the rooftop is a café and bar serving Scandinavian-leaning comfort food and light dishes built for lingering with a view. Menus typically feature brunch plates, smørrebrød, burgers, salads and seasonal specials alongside cakes, coffee and an extensive selection of wine and cocktails. Prices sit in the moderate range for Denmark, making it accessible for anything from a quick coffee stop to an unhurried lunch. Blankets and lounge furniture make the outdoor areas usable for much of the year, while indoor café seating offers a fallback when the North Sea weather rolls in. In winter, the space takes on a particularly Danish feel, with hot chocolate, mulled wine and classic Christmas treats enjoyed under strings of lights as the city’s festive decorations glow below.

Skywalk thrills and glass-floor views

One of Salling ROOFTOP’s signature features is its glass skywalk, projecting boldly out over the pedestrianised street. Suspended roughly 27 metres above Strøget, the transparent floor gives you a direct view down to shoppers and buses far below. It is just long enough to feel daring, yet safely enclosed, making it a playful challenge even for those slightly uneasy with heights. Nearby, another glass section lets you look down into the interior of the department store. These elements, together with carefully lit stairways and viewing ledges, emphasise the vertical drama of the building and help explain why the project has been recognised with local architecture awards.

Roofgarden: an elevated pocket park

Extending beyond the original terrace, the Salling ROOFGARDEN functions as a compact city park in the sky. Here paths weave between trees, shrubs and dense plant beds of herbs and perennials, softening the urban setting with foliage, seasonal colour and birdsong. Sculptural benches by Danish artist Jeppe Hein bend and loop in unexpected ways, inviting you to sit, recline or play. Sky swings, shaded seating and small clearings create a relaxed, almost whimsical atmosphere that contrasts with the straight lines of the city grid below. Subtle sound installations add an audio layer to the experience, turning the garden into a sensory refuge where you can pause between museums, shopping and waterfront walks.

Events, atmosphere and seasonal character

Beyond everyday café service, Salling ROOFTOP doubles as an outdoor venue. Through the warmer half of the year, late-week evenings often bring DJ sets, social dining events and themed nights that give the space a distinctly festive energy. The stage area and bar service are designed to handle crowds without losing the rooftop’s relaxed, open-air feel. In colder months, the mood shifts toward cosy rather than lively. Heat lamps, blankets and sheltered corners make it possible to savour the winter light or watch dusk fall over the city’s tiled roofs. Whether you visit for a quick look at the skyline or to settle in for several hours with food, drinks and music, the rooftop’s blend of design, planting and views makes it one of Aarhus’ most memorable urban spaces.

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